


Love Bites

by Vmello



Series: Mythic verse [3]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, M/M, Mythic au, Polyamory, prompt collection
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-14
Updated: 2016-07-29
Packaged: 2018-06-02 07:15:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 17,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6556912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vmello/pseuds/Vmello
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carver finds himself navigating life as a newly changed vampire, and a polyamorous relationship with the vampires who changed him.</p><p>(a.k.a the AU where everyone is a vampire and they're all dating.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Where it all begins

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is gonna be a collection of prompts I've filled in a vampire version of my [mythic verse.](http://archiveofourown.org/series/405433) I'll add any warnings that might be needed at the beginning of every chapters. Honestly this was going to be a Fever fic, with background Cullrian, but it sorta got away from me at some point. I do intend to give this au a proper fic at some point that will go more in depth about how Carver met Dorian and Felix, about when he first got turned into a vamp, and how Cullen became a part of their relationship, but until then enjoy these prompts!

“We have these new regulars at work,” Carver says when he sits down on the sofa with his brother and Cullen. He grabs a slice of pizza from the coffee table.

“If they’re new how are they regulars?” Garrett asks around a mouthful of veggie lovers.

“You know what I mean, asshole,” Carver says, and Cullen just rolls his eyes at them while trying to pick a movie on Netflix.

“Yeah yeah, so are they hot?” Garrett asks, straight to the point.

“So hot. They’re vampires, it’s not even fair.”

“Details,” Garrett demands. “Girls? Boys? How old and also how old?”

“They’re both guys. ‘Vints, I think. The ones a bit short, kinda has a hot nerdy thing going on. The other one has this ridiculous mustache and I love it. He looks like a model, I swear. Maybe in their late twenties or early thirties. It’s always so hard to tell with vamps. I’m not sure how old they actually are, but if the way the other vamps act around them I’d say _old_.”

“Did you talk to them at all yet?” Cullen asks, only half paying attention as he scrolls through his list on Netflix.

“A bit. They’ve both flirty, in their own way. Mustache is super forward, his friend isn’t much better, but at least he tries to be subtle. I don’t know if it’s just a vampire thing though,” Carver says. “Vampires always flirt a lot at the club.”

“Everyone flirts a lot at the club. It’s a _club_ ,” Garrett says matter of factly. Carver gives his ankle a kick and Cullen has to break them up before they start to get too rowdy.

“Can you two behave long enough to sit through a few episodes of Bob’s Burgers?” Cullen asks when they all settle down. “Or do I have to separate you.”

“Yes, daddy,” Garrett says, batting his eyes.

“Don’t do that,” Cullen says, making a face as he starts up the episode.

—-

“It’s not fair,” Carver says dramatically, flopping face down on the sofa.

“Okay?” Garrett says, looking up from where he’s working at the counter between the kitchen and living room.

“I think the hot vamps are dating,” Carver says, his voice muffled against the arm of the sofa.

“Like, dating each other?” Garrett asks.

“Yeah,” Carver says.

“Well what makes you think that?” Garrett asks, pushing his glasses up his nose, coming over and pushing Carvers legs off the sofa so he can sit next to him.

“They touch each other a lot.”

“Oh?” Garrett asks with a shit eating grin, his eyebrows rising.

“Not like that.” Carver says. “I mean, probably like that, but not in the club.”

“What’s in the club?” Cullen says, kicking the front door closed behind him when he comes in with groceries.

“Carver is watching his new vampire boyfriends touch each other,” Garrett says.

“I, honestly don’t know how to react to that,” Cullen says, putting the groceries on the kitchen table. Carver and Garrett come over to help put them away. Well, Carver helps put them away, Garrett just grabs a pack of cookies and watches.

“It’s not like that,” Carver says, grabbing a cookie out of his brother's hand and taking a bite. “They’re just… very intimate. They have to be a thing.”

“But they’re still flirting with you?” Cullen asks.

“I think?” Carver says, his face twisting in confusion. “I’ve never been good at that sorta thing. Maybe they’re just friendly.”

“Well what do they do that makes you think they’re flirting?” Garrett asks at the same time Cullen says, “Maybe they’re open to more than two people in a relationship.”

“Ooo, Cully Wully’s into the freaky stuff,” Garrett says, leaning on the counter. “So you think they’re swingers or something?”

“Not swingers,” Cullen says. “Or, they could be. I’m just saying, a lot of people are open to polyamory and stuff. More than one partner and all.”

“So what you’re saying is that they might have a thing, but they want my thing in their thing?” Carver says. “That sounds really complicated. Like how does it work? Just lots of threesomes?”

“I mean, it depends on what everyone’s comfortable with,” Cullen shrugs. “It doesn’t have to just be about the sex.”

“You have a lot of experience with this sorta stuff?” Garrett asks, obviously enjoying himself.

“Not practical experience no, but I don’t see what’s so wrong with it,” Cullen says, and Carver tries to play out scenarios in which he could have Felix and Dorian. Honestly it’s kind of overwhelming and he’s not sure what he really wants.

“Maybe I’ll just see how it plays out from here,” he says. “I’m not sure I could handle something like that.”

“Aw, come on. Threesomes are the best,” Garrett says, dragging out the vowels of the last word and moaning around a cookie.

—

“How are things going with the guys from the club?” Cullen asks, putting a stack of pizza boxes down on the kitchen table.

“Who? The vamps?” Carver asks, knowing full well what Cullen is asking about.

“Yeah the vamps, who else?” Garrett asks. “You wouldn’t shut up about them for the longest time, then nothing.”

“I think they’re avoiding me,” Carver admits. He sits down at the table and picks up a slice of pizza from the top box and sniffs it. “Is there garlic on this?”

“Yeah. We always get the garlic crust on sausage and mushroom. Why?” Garrett asks. “And why would they be avoiding you?”

“I think I might be allergic. That happens right? People get new allergies sometimes?” Carver says, dropping the slice onto Garrett’s plate and grabbing the box with pepperoni, peppers, and onions instead.

“I guess. I think Aveline developed hay fever or something like that a few years ago,” Garrett replies. “Anyway, don’t avoid the boy questions. What happened with your boyfriends?”

“They aren’t my boyfriends I barely know them,” Carver snaps. “And I don’t know, something’s just really off with them lately.”

“Off how?” Cullen asks.

“I’m not sure. They still always come around, and I catch them looking, but they don’t really talk to me anymore,” Carver says. “I just, it sucks, I feel really connected to them. Like I’m drawn to them or something.”

“When did it start?” Cullen asks, his full focus on Carver, and for the first time in a while Carver remembers that Cullen used to be a detective for the Circle. It’s strange to be on this end of his investigations. Not that this is official, but he can’t help but feel himself shrink a little under Cullen’s gaze.

“I’m not sure, a month ago maybe?”

“Around the time you started getting weird cravings?” Cullen asks.

“And started sleeping like the dead during the day?” Garrett asks, and Carver finds he doesn’t like where this is going.

“I always sleep during the day. I work night shift, Garrett. It’s not that strange,” Carver all but growls.

“Not like usually though,” Garrett says, looking genuinely worried. Carver _really_ doesn’t like where this is going.

“I would have noticed if I died. Right?” Carver says. His brother takes his hand and Cullen stands up. “What are you doing? Where are you going?”

“I’m taking your pulse, idiot,” Garrett says.

“I’m just checking something real quick,” Cullen says, and it does nothing to ease Carver’s panic. After what feels like the longest minute of his life Garrett drops his wrist.

“Well, shit,” he says, and Carver quick presses fingers to his own jugular. Before he can even try to feel for his pulse Cullen is back, and places a small Andraste statuette on the table. There’s a loud clatter when Carver’s chair hits the floor when he pushes away from the table, skin burning and hair standing on end.

—

It’s been about a week since Carver confronted Felix and Dorian about what he is. They explained that there was an accident, he was hit by a car outside of the club and was dying. They saved him. Felix saved him more specifically, turning him into one of them. He wasn’t sure how to feel about it. He still existed yes, but he wasn’t alive, not really. He was a vampire now, and a lot of baggage would come with that. He yelled at them at first, told them they should have just let him die. After he took some time to calm down he wanted to apologize. He sought them out, and somehow one thing lead to another and he ended up pushing Felix against the wall, kissing him.

Carver braced on hand against the wall, pulling Felix closer to himself with his other, deepening their kiss. It was sloppy and sudden and so, so good. Felix pulled him down with a hand at the nape of his neck and kissed him back with just as much fervor. When Carver finally pulled away he was breathing hard, even though he knew he didn’t really need to breathe anymore.

“Wow,” he says stepping away, running his hands down his face and wishing he could blaspheme. Regular curses just don’t seem to have the same effect. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Why not?” Felix asked. “I’m definitely not going to complain.”

“Aren’t you two…?” Carver motions vaguely between the two of them.

“We are,” Dorian says. “But I’m not complaining either.”

Carver opens his mouth to speak, but all that comes out is a confused series of noises.

“What I mean is,” Dorian says, stepping a bit closer. “That if you and Felix want to be together, I won’t protest. If you want to be monogamous, I’ll admit I don’t much like being pushed to the side, but it wouldn’t be the first time one of us has pursued other relationships.” Dorian is circling him now, sizing him up. “I won’t be going anywhere though. Dear Felix and I have been together for longer than either of us can remember, as friends above lovers, and I would expect you to treat him with the utmost respect.”

“Are you giving him the shovel talk, Dorian?” Felix says with a huff of laughter. “Really?”

“Perhaps,” Dorian says, smirking. “I’m not done though,” he stops in front of Carver, turning to him so that they are standing nearly chest to chest. “You can have Felix, if he would have you that is, but you don’t have to have only Felix.”

“I,” Carver starts. His head feels like it’s spinning and he’s not entirely sure if it’s from his kiss with Felix, or how close Dorian is standing to him, or what’s just been offered to him. It can’t be real. Right? These sort of things just don’t happen in real life. Right? Though, being turned into a vampire by the hot guys you have a crush on and not knowing about it for a month isn’t something that happens either. He can’t help but chuckle a little out of nervousness. He looks up from Dorian, who has been staring at him intensely, and glances over to Felix. He’s just watching with an encouraging smile.

“Okay,” Carver sighs, and chuckles softly again. He wraps an arm around Dorian’s waist. “Can I?” He asks, lifting a hand to cup Dorian face, glancing between the two of them.

“I’d be offended if you didn’t,” Dorian says, and Carver closes the space between them. A moment later he feels Felix’s hand running up his his arm, thumb rubbing soothing circles on his bicep.

“This,” Carver laughs again, hiding his face in his hands. “This is some sorta crazy dream right?”

“Do you dream about us often?” Felix asks.

“I might,” Carver says, trying to keep from laughing again. This feels so surreal, but not in a bad way, so he may as well enjoy it. “My brother is gonna be so jealous when he meets you guys.”


	2. First time for everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the night directly following the last prompt and is Carver's first time sleeping with Dorian and Felix. This chapter could also be called "Carver really likes blowjobs"

Carver loves giving head. It might actually be one of his favorite things. With men, with women, long and drawn out and teasing or quick and sloppy in the cramped stalls at the club. He loves it however he can give it. He’s got a knack for it, too. Practice makes perfect. He doesn’t mind hookups, or didn’t, would be more accurate. So he’s had plenty of practice. He very much prefers longer term partners though. He’d deny that it’s because he’s sentimental, or, Maker forgive, a _‘romantic’_. One of the best parts of long term relationships though, is that he gets to learn all of his partners ticks. Do they like fucking his face? Do they like it slow and teasing? With a bit of teeth?

This is his first time doing this with Felix. Dorian is watching, stroking himself and biting down on a knuckle at a failed attempt to hide his grin. His eyes are sparkling like a kid at Santinalia as he watches Carver push Felix up against the wall and drop to his knees before him.

“Hold this,” Carver says, hiking up Felix’s shirt in the front so he can easily splay his hand across his abdomen, wanting to feel every twitch of his muscles while he gets him off. “Or, ya know, just take it off,” he rambles, yanking Felix’s belt off. “Whatever you want,” he continues as he pops Felix’s jeans open and tugs them and his underwear down enough to free his cock.

Carver shuts himself up then by licking a stripe from the base of Felix’s half hard cock to the head, and sucking him into his mouth. Felix throws his head back and groans, running his fingers through Carver’s hair, giving an experimental little tug. Carver hums in appreciation loving the feeling of Felix’s cock growing hard and heavy on his tongue.

“Fuck, baby, your mouth is so good,” Felix rasps. He groans again when he looks down and Carver meets his eyes just before taking him all the way to the root. “Fuck.”

Carver rubs Felix’s thighs while he bobs his head, sliding one up and along the crease of his hip to cup his balls. There’s a thud and a curse above him as Felix throws his head back again and hits the wall.

“So good, don’t stop,” Felix pants, and Carver grins around his cock, sliding his hand back further to massage his perineum. “Fuck, Carver. Fuck yeah. Please,” Felix babbles, and Carver pulls off his cock with a lewd pop.

“You sure are chatty,” Carver gasps, trying to catch his breath while he lets his other hand wander back towards Felix’s hole. “Lube?” He asks Dorian, resting his forehead against Felix’s thigh, rubbing teasing circles around his hole. Felix is cursing in Tevene, and gives his hair a firm tug. Carver kisses his hip and gives his ass a squeeze. “Impatient, aren’t you?”

“Fucking tease,” Felix trails off into a moan when Carver takes just the tip of his cock into his mouth again, swirling his tongue around the head.

“Don’t act like you don’t love it,” Dorian says, smirking as he slides gracefully off the bed, lube already in hand. He leans down to give Carver a kiss, the head of Felix’s dick trapped between their mouths.

“Bastard,” Felix curses at him, humming in pleasure, trying not to thrust against their mouths. Dorian kisses a trail up his body, dragging his tongue over a sensitive nipple and up his neck, pausing to suck a hickey over his jugular.

“ _Amatus_ ,” Dorian purrs against Felix’s lips, and Felix lets out an annoyed sounding huff, but he’s grinning by the time Dorian claims his mouth. Someone’s hand gently presses Carver farther onto Felix’s dick, and he gets back to the task at hand.

It’s a bit hard to see from the angle he gets kneeling in front of Felix, but watching Felix and Dorian make out above him is really fucking hot. He wants to jack himself off. He’s achingly hard and maybe the most turned on he’s ever been. He also really wants to touch Felix and Dorian though, wants to finger Felix open so he can fuck him. He could probably suck them both off, but he’s not sure he has the coordination to do that and finger Felix at the same time. Instead he runs his hand up Dorian’s thigh to squeeze his ass, and with the other hand finally presses a slick finger in Felix.

Dorian is muttering praise between kisses as Felix takes another finger. Felix really is chatty in bed, but now he’s reverted to his mother tongue, babbling in ancient Tevene, and even though Carver doesn’t understand a word of it it’s really, really hot. Dorian sinks his fangs into Felix’s neck, and Felix lets out a whorish moan that travels straight to Carver’s cock as he thrusts into his mouth.

Carver loves giving head. What he doesn’t love is swallowing. So when Felix comes in his mouth without warning he’s at of a bit of a loss for what to do. He gives the room a quick look around, but there aren’t any tissues. There’s a trash bin next to the bed, maybe… No, that probably wouldn’t work, it’s one of those kinds that’s more metal mesh than bin. Maybe in his shirt? That’s only a temporary solution, and he’d hate himself when he had to put it back on. Felix is too distracted shedding the last of his clothes and pushing an equally distracted Dorian back onto the bed to notice his dilemma.

When they do notice he hasn’t followed them he’s not sure how long he’s been kneeling on the floor, internally debating on if he could get away with spitting in the bin without them noticing.

“Carver?” Felix asks, and Dorian sits up to look at them both. Carver hums in response and tries to look nonchalant. He can tell he’s failing. “Are you coming?” Felix looks at him, worried, and Dorian watches him curiously.

“Yeah, I’ll be up,” he starts, completely forgetting his mouthful of cum. It dribbles out of his mouth and down his chin to drip onto his shirt. He lets out a frustrated sigh. “I’ll be up in a second,” he finishes, and grimaces down at his shirt. He’s sure if he could blush he’d be beet red right now. Felix huffs out a laugh through his nose, biting his lips hard to try not to laugh out loud. Dorian doesn’t bother with the effort and is openly wheezing with laughter.

“We’ll, uh,” Felix starts, then stops to take a deep breath that would be pointless if it wasn’t the only thing keeping him from cackling right now. “We’ll be sure to give you proper warning in the future.”

“That was disgusting,” Dorian says between laughter. Carver grimaces again. This is probably the most embarrassed he’s been after sex since a rather unfortunate incident with preejaculation he had in high school. “It really has no right to be so adorable,” Dorian continues, wiping a tear from his eyes. “Get up here,” he says reaching a hand out to Carver.

Carver is a bit hesitant to take it. Not that he doesn’t want to get in bed with these two very hot, very naked vampires, but he does have some pride. Pride which has been properly wounded. When he does take Dorian’s hand he pulls him into bed with surprising strength. Next thing Carver knows his shirt is being tugged off and Dorian is licking the cum off his chin while Felix slides between his legs, undoing his zipper with his teeth.

“You’ve been so good for us, _meus accipter pulcher_ ,” Dorian says, kneeling behind Carver, running his hands up his chest to play with his nipples while Felix strokes his cock. “Let us take good care of you,” he says, and all Carver can do is moan in response as Felix takes him in his warm, wet mouth. Carver _loves_ getting head.


	3. Are You Jealous?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fill for the prompt "Wait a minute, are you jealous?"

Felix is used to Dorian’s flirting. They’ve know each other nearly a thousand years, and have only really dated off and on in that time. They will always be friends above lovers, but that doesn’t diminish that they _are_ lovers. At least at the moment. It’s not that they’ve ever been exclusive either. An eternity with one person, no matter how dear they are to you, can get a bit boring, and with how many people you meet in that time, to think you’d never fall in love with another person just seems a bit absurd. They’ve both fallen in love before with other people. Sometimes with the same person, and they’ve always made it work for them, and when the others left, or died, they always still had each other.

So Felix is used to watching Dorian flirt with others. Sometimes he encourages him, either as a friend and wingman, or as a partner who might or might not enjoy watching his lover in bed with others. Sometimes he joins him, luring a handsome man into their bed for a night of fun. Other times though…

“They’re cute together,” Carver says, when he slides up next to Felix, motioning over to where Dorian is charming Cullen.

“Yes,” Felix says, sounding harsher than he meant to. He turns so his back is to the two of them and he’s facing Carver. “They do make a handsome pair, don’t they,” He manages to sound calmer, but Carver has a brow cocked at him.

“They do. I’ve known Cullen for a long time now, he’s a good man.”

“Are you two particularly close?”

“We’ve been roommates for over two years now,” Carver replies crossing his arms and eyeing Felix curiously. “So I’d say we’re pretty close. I’d at least call him a friend.”

“Oh,” Felix says, nodding a bit awkwardly, and a knowing grin slowly spreads across Carver’s face.

“Wait a minute. Are you jealous?”

“No!” Felix snaps. “I’m no such thing. Why would I be? It’s not like we’re entirely exclusive,” he gives Carver’s shoulder a light shove when he steps closer. “You should know.”

“Yeah,” Carver says, wrapping an arm around Felix’s waist to pull him closer. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t get jealous every once in awhile, it’s only natural.” He places a quick peck on Felix’s lips, then leans in to kiss along his jawline, stopping to nibble his ear before whispering, “You know, I’m sure he’d be willing to share.”

Felix isn’t sure whether Carver means Cullen or Dorian. When he looks over to see Dorian watching them with hungry eyes, and Cullen glancing over at them, blushing a lovely pink at their display of affection, but not at all looking uninterested, he’s not sure he cares.


	4. Reminiscing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A small taste of Dorian and Felix's relationship before they met Carver and Cullen

It’s a rare occurrence that Felix wakes before Dorian, so when he wakes before sundown he takes advantage of it. He lights candles around the bedroom to cast a nice ambient light and messes with the settings on the new camera Dorian got him. Dorian buys him new cameras and equipment constantly, always insisting on spoiling him. Felix has adored photography ever since the first camera was invented.

He remembers the first time he saw a photo and it felt like everything had changed. Every time they witnessed some incredible advancement in technology it felt amazing. The car, the home computer, the light bulb. It all changed the world, but cameras changed _his_ world. A way to capture a moment, to never have to forget a place or a face again. He tries to imagine what it would be like to have a picture of his father. What it would be like to remember all of his loved ones, even after more than nine hundred years.

His memory isn’t so bad. He knows other vampires who forget almost everything. Felix saves himself from that by focusing on the big things, and spending an endless lifetime with Dorian Pavus there are always big things. He lets out a quiet huff of laughter thinking about how Dorian can’t seem to keep himself out of history. The thing is, no one is made to remember everything, and even with a perfectly healthy brain of a 25 year old, it’s impossible to remember it all. Dorian keeps journals to remember, and Felix, he takes pictures.

Felix pulls the blackout curtains open when he feels the sun dip below the horizon, leaving only thin white curtains to filter out the moonlight. Dorian stirs on the bed, looking glorious in the mix of candle light and the lacy shadows from the curtains, and Felix picks his camera up again to take a picture.

Dorian arches his back as he wakes up, stretching and flexing. Felix can’t help but smile as Dorian sprawls out in a way he knows is captivating. He gives Felix one of his best ‘come hither’ looks and before he even says anything Felix is climbing on the bed.

“Enjoying the view?”

“Always,” Felix says, straddling Dorian’s hips and taking another picture. “Tell me again.”

“Tell you what?” Dorian says, confusion flickering across his face for a moment, but it’s quickly replaced by a self satisfied smirk. He runs his hands along Felix’s thighs, holding onto his hips.

“Dorian,” Felix admonishes, putting his camera to the side. He grabs Dorian’s wrists and pin them to the bed, leaning in to give him a gentle kiss. “Please?”

“Of all the things to forget, _amatus_ ,” Dorian says, letting out a world weary sigh that held little effect when accompanied with his grin. Dorian always teases him about this. Felix has always had the better memory of the two, but he tends to remember the big picture things, while Dorian always remembered the more personal things. Things like their first time together.

“It’s a rather boring story,” Dorian says, wrapping his arms around Felix’s waist and pulling him down so they are lying chest to chest. “You’d be better off believing the story where I save you from being trapped in a tower by a dragon and you swoon right into my bed. Or the one where I ravish you on the Archon’s throne”

“I’m sure I’d remember a dragon,” Felix grins, nuzzling his face into the crook of Dorian’s neck. “Though that was a very good story. And I know the time on the throne wasn’t our first.”

“Fine,” Dorian sighs again and Felix nips at his neck. “If you must know, it was twelve years after Bull passed. We were already fairly intimate. Kissing and always touching in some way, but not quite sexually, despite all the rumors.“

“That much I remember.” Most of the Magisterium all those years ago was so sure that they were involved, not that they did much to convince them otherwise. “We gave up on trying to dissuade them long before we ever were romantically involved.”

“It was a night much like this,” Dorian continues. “We were bored and lazy and spent most of the evening kissing and holding each other. You got hard, which wasn’t the first time one of us got hard messing around, but normally we would just ignore it or stop when we went that far. That time we kept going though. I touched you, jacked you off nice and slow,” Dorian ran his hand along Felix’s spine, making him sigh. “It was all very romantic. All soft sighs and gentle kisses. We stayed in bed like that all night, kissing and touching and holding.”

“After a while I sucked your cock. You made the most gorgeous sounds,” Dorian said, pulling him up for a kiss. “Then you asked me to fuck you. See? Very boring.” He’s grinning when he says it though and Felix kisses him again. Felix wonders how different their first kiss was from this. A kiss between friends, not lovers. A kiss that didn’t carry over nine hundred years of history behind it. He chose to leave those thoughts behind. There are centuries behind them now, but they have an eternity stretching out them before them. He’d rather live that now than mourn long lost memories.


	5. Speakeasy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felix and Dorian take Carver to a vampire speakeasy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some blood mentions in this chapter

Carver is buzzing with excitement, though he’s hiding it fairly well. He’s heard of vampires speakeasies before, and though he’s sure a lot of what he’s heard must be rumors, or exaggerations, he can’t help but think if he had a heart it’d be racing. Illegal underground vampire clubs with _very_ illegal live feeders will do that to you. Breaking the law is always a fun dose of adrenaline; he learned that in Kirkwall following around Garrett and his band of misfits.

When they get to the hidden door Dorian knocks a precise sequence on the door and a peephole slides open. A woman with a gruff voice demands a password. Dorian leans in so that his face is level with the peephole and it slams shut. A moment later the door opens and Dorian and Felix strut in, Dorian takes Carver’s hand and Felix loops an arm around his waist.

“Lord Pavus,” she greets, then turns to nod at Felix. “Alexius. Who’s your new pet?” she gives a toothy grin, fangs extended and sharp.

“Sorry, love, this one’s not for sharing,” Felix says.

“You’ll have to find your own pretty piece of arm candy,” Dorian adds, and the woman rolls her eyes.

“How’s anyone supposed to do that when you’re hoarding all the good ones in the city,” she says with a smirk and winks at Carver. “You ever get bored with these two, you can always find me here, pretty boy.”

“I’ll, uh, keep that in mind,” Carver says as Dorian and Felix lead him away, down a long, narrow, spiraling flight of stairs. The farther down they go the clearer the slow, pulsing music in the depths of the building becomes, until they finally make it to another door and a dwarf with muscles bigger than his head lets them in.

The moment the door opens Carver’s ears fill with the low, eerie pulsing beat of strange and mystifying music playing. His nose fills with the smell of spice and sex and fresh blood. The lighting is low and atmospheric, there’s a bar along the back wall, drop dead gorgeous waiters and waitresses walk around with trays of wine glasses filled with blood, half the tables have people on them, dancing and swaying to the music or feeding the vamps. At the table nearest them a woman moans as one vamp bites her inner thigh while another sucks at her neck.

Carver wants to say something, anything, but he’s at a loss for words. It’s all so much, almost exactly how he imagined it but still so much more than he thought to be possible.

“Like anything you see,” Dorian says, taking a glass from a passing waitress. Carver just nods dumbly. “It’s a bit extravagant. Each speakeasy varies, but this one is the best, if a bit pricey. Nothing I can’t handle. You get what you pay for.” Carver just nods again and licks his lips.

“We’ll start out easy, just get a few shots at the bar,” Felix says. “Then we’ll get a table. You can pick.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Carver says, voice a bit raw as he follows his lovers to the bar.

“The feeders are all different, some are here because they get off on feeding, or explicitly in exchange for sex. Others work here, as dancers, as servers, bartenders. They probably get off on it just as much, but they’re actually paid to be here,” Felix explains. “They generally know their limits, if they tell you to stop, you stop. There are always incidents of someone passing out here and there, so don’t panic if it happens, there are medics around in case of emergency, but generally they’re not badly injured. The average human has five and a half liters of blood and can lose two before passing out, they’re at no risk of bleeding out. Elves have just under five usually, so you’ll have to be more careful with them. Dwarves are a bit iffier, but tend not to volunteer often as feeders. Go buck wild with the qunari if you want, they can lose up to three and and half liters on average and the human stomach can only hold two. Bouncers are all around for if anyone gets out of control, but that rarely happens.”

“So I can just pick anyone I want?” Carver asks, feeling overwhelmed. He’s fed from Cullen before and it was better than anything he’d ever experienced before, but he could never take enough to fill. He's fed from Dorian and Felix as well, never much, usually while they were fucking, and it tasted... stale. The blood in them is dead, taken from others and doesn't hold that spark of life that flows through living beings and warms him from inside. 

“You can, though they can turn you down for any reason they so choose. Don’t be offended if they do; maybe they’ve already given too much, or maybe they just aren’t into humans or men,” Felix says.

“Pick two, while you’re at it,” Dorian says, eyes sweeping the room. “There’s a lot of nice variety tonight, and I want you to know what it feels like to be truly full of living blood. To feel what it’s like to be almost alive again.” Carver swallows hard, mouth watering at the prospect. “And if you pick the ones that have been drinking, you’ll actually be able to get drunk,” Dorian adds, eyes sparkling with mischief. Carver hasn’t been able to get anything more than a little buzzed since he changed, his body healing too fast for alcohol to have any real effect.

“You’re just trying to get him to pick a drunk one so you can get smashed,” Felix accuses.

“Details. I just want him to be fully aware of all the possibilities,” Dorian says, tugging Felix closer to give him a playful kiss on the cheek. “Take your time choosing love, pick exactly what you want,” he says to Carver.

Carver’s eyes slowly sweep the room. The feeders seem to be uniformly wearing black, gold, and white outfits, all scantily clad and fucking gorgeous. It’s like they only accept models here. His eyes keep being drawn to a qunari woman leaning on a table near the other side of the room chatting with two pretty elven vampires. She’s got to be at least seven feet tall if you include her horns, long and curving upward and painted gold. Her long spiraling hair is a bright, golden orange that doesn’t match the charcoal gray of her eyebrows and cascades down her back to her waist. Her strong arms are braced on the table behind her and Carver’s eyes follow the line of them up to her shoulders and the tight black leather top that covers her chest, then down her abdomen to the white and gold lace skirt she’s wearing, just thin enough that he can see the shape of her legs and the black panties she’s wearing underneath.

“Her,” Carver says, nodding in her direction. Felix’s grin spreads ear to ear.

“Fantastic choice,” he says, and Dorian snorts.

“Fee always did have a thing for women who could probably bench press him,” he teases before catching the qunari’s eye. She glances over for a moment, cocking a brow at him before he flashes a wad of cash. She smirks and slides off the table, saying something to the girls who had her attention before then coming over to them, hips swaying tantalizingly as she crosses the room. The girls she left behind look agonized, and Carver _almost_ feels bad.

“Messeres Pavus and Alexius?” She says with a surprisingly delicate curtsy. “I’m surprised you waved me down, aren’t your tastes a bit more… masculine?” She asks.

“Generally, yes,” Dorian starts. “But today you’ll be a gift to our dear Carver.”

“A gift, you say?” The corner of her lip quirks and she turns her coal black eyes to Carver, watching him appraisingly.

“Yes, this is his first time at a club like this,” Felix says, and her smile turns to something kinder, fond almost. “And we want to treat him right.”

“Fresh blood for the fresh blood?” She teases, and Carver is captivated by her mouth. Full lips painted with black lipstick that fades into gold towards the center in a way he can’t even imagine how to do. “Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of you.”

“Yeah,” Carver says dumbly, silently chastising himself. She just laughs but doesn’t seem at all put off. “Uh, what’s your name?” Carver’s not sure if he’s supposed to ask that. Are there rules about that sorta thing? Surely if there were Dorian or Felix would have mentioned it.

“Senna,” she answers.

“A lovely name, for a lovely flower,” Felix says and she blushes. Felix leads her off to a table and orders drinks for everyone.

“Who else?” Dorian says, draping himself on the bar, easy and beautiful.

“Would it be cheesy if I said you?” Carver says, grinning at the charmed smile Dorian gives him before tugging him close for a quick kiss.

“It absolutely would,” he says. “You cheesy, charming bastard. Pick someone.”

Carver smiles and leans against Dorian and peruses the crowd again. This time he notices a handsome elf standing by the bar. He’s short and lean but Carver can tell he’s fit, from his stomach, exposed under a loose midriff tank top, tight and firm, and his powerful thighs stretching the tight black fabric of his skinny jeans. His face is soft and round, with full lips and almond eyes, but still exudes masculinity. He’s Dalish, bright yellow vallaslin practically glowing against his warm, dark brown skin in a tangle of thorny vines that cover the top half of his face. He looks over, and meets Carver’s eyes for a moment. His eyes are bright emeralds, seemingly lit from behind and they pierce right through him.

Carver looks away. He’s gorgeous and inviting, but he’s so petite. Barely over five feet, and fear prickles at the base of Carver’s skull. He doesn’t think he’d hurt anyone, and he knows Dorian and Felix wouldn’t let him, but if he did, even if it was an accident, he’d never forgive himself. Instead, he turns his attention to the human that’s talking to the elf. His skin is a warm copper just a shade lighter and a touch warmer than Dorian’s. His arms are thick and Carver catches a glint of gold at his chest through the large armholes of his tank. His hair is thick and wavy and looks amazing for running one’s fingers through and pulling.

“Him,” Carver says. “The human over by the bar.”

“Lovely choice,” Dorian says. “You go find Felix and Senna, and I’ll fetch him and meet up with you.”

Carver nods and watches Dorian walk over to the man. The elf pouts a bit as he’s passed and looks over to Carver again. _Next time,_ Carver promises himself before he turns to find the others. When he finds them Senna is kneeling on the table, dancing to the music while people nearby watch, offering up money. Carver sits down next to Felix, who immediately hands him a drink.

“She’s… wow,” Carver says, watching as she sways to the dark, rhythmic music, and Felix grunts in agreement. Soon after Dorian shows up with the man from the bar, speaking to him in Antivan. He laughs at something Dorian says, then lifts his hand to kiss his knuckles and Dorian preens at the attention. Jealously niggles at the back of Carver’s mind but he stamps it down. They had set boundaries fairly early on in their relationship, and no sleeping with strangers was near the top of the list.

“This is Alvaro,” Dorian introduces, and the man grins seductively at Carver.

“And this is our man of the hour?” Alvaro says in a thick accent, stepping up to Carver, smirking. “And quite a man he is.”

“Are we ready to get started?” Senna asks, a little breathless from her dance, voice wavering with anticipation.

“I think so,” Dorian answers, turning to Carver. “Alright?”

“Alright,” Carver answers. He takes a shaky breath, just to calm himself and Senna reaches out to take his hand.

“Take your time sweet thing,” she says. “This is all for you.”

_All for me_ , Carver thinks. He looks at Senna and Alvaro, both gorgeous and willing to give him so much. He looks at Dorian and Felix, who already have already given him so much, who are giving him the world. _All for me_.

“Ok,” Carver says. “I’m ready.” He tugs Senna closer to the edge of the table. Alvaro sits next to her and pulls his shirt off slowly, revealing beautiful golden skin painted with elegant tattoos, gold rings in each nipple. Carver runs a hand along his shoulder, up his throat. His other hand is on Senna’s thigh, feeling her pulse fluttering in her femoral artery.

Carver runs his tongue over his teeth, feeling his fangs. He decides to start with Alvaro, fisting his hand in his soft, curling hair and tipping his head back. He leans in and breaths in the sweet warm scent of him before sinking his teeth in.


	6. Registration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carver gets registered at the local circle, and Cullen makes an important step in his relationship with the vamps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is honestly my fav installment of this au so far and has a lot of world building. I hope you like it as much as I do!

Carver fists his hands in his hair, leaning his elbows on the table staring down at dozens of papers littering the table, having flashbacks to finals week that make his skin crawl. It’s been a month since he moved in with Felix and Dorian, and just over four months that he’s been a vampire, and they’ve decided that it’s time he get registered. Dorian says they’ve been putting it off for too long as it is, and that it will be more difficult now.

“So, if the average human stomach can hold, what, 2 liters of liquid, and the Chantry distributes only enough for you to have one liter of blood a day, how is that enough?” He asks.

“It isn’t, not enough to fill, at least,” Felix answers. “They don’t want us going around at our full potential, so they give us enough to survive. Not to thrive.”

“There are ways around it, some legal even!” Dorian adds. “Though I’m sure you can tell us about all the legal ways to feed, right?”

“The Circles distribute a basic ration every month to all registered vampires. Uh, some bars and clubs have licenses to serve blood, as long as it’s bought from the Circle, and there are official live in feeders, mortals who sign up to feed vampires. Limited to one feeder to vamp and visa versa,” Carver answers slowly, thinking hard if there are any other ways he’s forgetting about.

“Right,” Dorian says, smiling at him. “And any other way is illegal. So how have you been feeding these past months?” They’ve been practicing this interrogation all week, how Carver was changed, how he’s been feeding, why he didn’t register right away.

“My partners have been sharing their supply with me,” It’s not entirely a lie. Felix and Dorian have been sharing their cache with him, but he knows it’s not all legally from the circle.

“So you’ve never fed from a live being?”

“No.” That is an outright lie. They’ve all fed from Cullen at some point, but it doesn’t matter how willing he is or that he’s their partner. Without the Circle’s permission they aren’t allowed to feed from anybody.

“You mentioned ‘partners’. Am I to believe one of these partners is your sire?” This time Cullen asks.

“Yes, Dorian Pavus, as registered under the Minrathous Circle.” Another lie. Felix changed him, but Dorian insists that he lie. Says that Felix has a spotless record in Ferelden, and illegally changing someone could put him under investigation.

“Won’t this just put _you_ under investigation then?” Carver asked at the time.

“I have my ways,” Was Dorian’s answer, which earned a questioning look from Cullen.

They continue their faux interrogation and review the vampire laws of Ferelden for what feels like ages before they stop for the night. Tomorrow night they’ll go to Denerim’s Circle office to get Carver registered, but for now he just wants to sleep and not think about the hours of questioning he’s going to have to deal with. He’s tired and irritated and hungry. For the past week they’ve all been sharing only the Circle rations, as to not raise suspicion on their eating habits, and it’s left them all in a sour mood.

——

It’s late afternoon when Cullen returns to the mansion, using his spare key to get in. No one is awake yet, unsurprisingly; they all tend to sleep until twilight at least. He considers just waiting for them all to wake up, not wanting to bother any of them too much on such a stressful day, but he wants to talk to Dorian about something that’s been on his mind for weeks.

Helping Carver adjust to his new life has been a strange experience for Cullen. Being surrounded by vampires all the time has been… taxing. He knows his old prejudices are wrong. He hates that they still spring up from time to time even now as he’s building this fledgling relationship with the others. He’s not afraid of them. Not like he would have been five or ten years ago when he was still a Templar and programmed to hate them. Carver was his friend for years before he changed, and Cullen trusted him with his life, and Dorian and Felix… they are something else entirely, he couldn’t put words to it if he tried. Otherworldly but still so real. He wants to be a part of this.

Cullen stops in the kitchen before he makes his way to Dorian’s room, grabbing a half liter bag of blood from the fridge and a bottle of water for himself. When he gets to Dorian’s door he doesn’t bother knocking, and just lets himself in. Dorian slept alone last night; it’s likely Felix and Carver are together in one of their rooms. Cullen places the bag of blood on the bedside table for a moment and slowly turns on one of the dimmer lights, sliding it up so it’s just enough to light the room without being too bright. He then sits on the bed and gently cards his fingers through Dorian’s hair.

“S’still daytime,” Dorian slurs, not bothering to open his eyes.

“Afternoon, love,” Cullen greats with a small smile at the way Dorian wrinkles his nose. He leans down to press a kiss to Dorian’s lips. Dorian wraps an arm around Cullen’s waist and pulls him onto the bed, rolling them both over so that he’s lying on top of Cullen. Cullen gasps and stares up at him.

“Good afternoon, _Iūcundum_ ,” Dorian says. He’s gorgeous in the low light, and staring down at Cullen like he could devour him, and like he had every intention to. It’s tempting to have a little tumble before the others wake up and they have to go to the Circle office, but he came early for a reason.

“I wanted to talk to you about something,” Cullen rushes out as Dorian starts to lean in for another kiss. Dorian leans away immediately, taking his hands off Cullen and giving him space.

“Is everything alright, my sunshine?” Dorian asks, a hint of worry in his eyes.

“Everything’s fine,” Cullen reassures him, moving so his kneeling close enough to Dorian that their thighs are pressed together. “I just have a bit of a proposition. Nothing to worry about. I’ve brought you today’s rations if you’re hungry.”

“Thank you,” Dorian says, reaching for the blood Cullen brought him. “What is it you want to discuss?” He says, drinking the it straight from the bag like some twisted kind of juice pouch. Cullen tries not to think about it too much.

“I was thinking that while we’re at the office today I could apply to be your feeder,” Cullen says, blushing, not able to hold eye contact. “I’d understand if you don’t want me to, it’s a pretty complex process and can take months and you won’t be able to feed off me during that time at all, and neither could the others. It’s just, since we’re already doing all this, it would make it legal, at least a little. I mean I know that it would only be legal for you to feed off me and I’m not gonna make the others stop, but that way if anything happens, you know—”

“Cullen, _amatus_ , breathe,” Dorian says, cutting off his rambling, and Cullen takes a deep breath. He finally looks up at Dorian, who is staring at him wide eyed. “You know you’d have to move in with us then, right?”

“I completely understand if you don’t want me to,” Cullen said, feeling his heart sink in his chest and his cheeks heat with embarrassment. “I just wanted to offer, that’s all.”

“Of course I’d love that,” Dorian reassures. “I just thought, it’s a bit soon, of course if you change your mind no one is going to make you stay, but it’s a big commitment.”

“I want to,” Cullen says a little breathlessly. The idea of being legally bound to Dorian, of being his in the eyes of the circle and their peers making his heart flutter. The idea of living with him and Carver and Felix, of having them within reach whenever he wants them. It’s overwhelming and terrifying and exactly what he wants. “I want to.”

—— 

By the time they were all dressed and at the Denerim Circle office Carver was fidgeting with nerves. Felix has been offering him as much comfort as he can, but there's only so much he can say. He looks to Cullen for solace as well, but Cullen doesn't have any to offer. Vampires are considered predator mythics, most Templars considered them criminals by nature. Guilty until proven innocent.

It isn’t a long wait until a chipper young Templar comes up to them, focusing on her clipboard.

“Hello, welcome to the DCO please fill out these forms with—” She looks up and cuts herself off with an ‘oh!’ then smiles widely at them all. “Serah Pavus, Serah Alexius, what brings you here today?” She says. Carver’s brows furrow in confusion and Cullen raises a brow at them.

“Belinda, darling, good to see you,” Dorian grins and kisses her hand and she giggles.

“Oh you, such a charmer,” She rearranges the papers on her clipboard and smiles at the rest of them. “Who’re your friends? What can I do for you today? No troubles right? Captain will be pretty pissed if you got yourself in trouble again.”

“Not today, dear. This is Carver, he’s here for registration, and this is Cullen, he’ll be applying to be my feeder.”

“Good good. Mr. Carver, I’ll be sending you over to reception where they’ll have you fill out some forms, they’ll go over everything with you there. You and Cullen can come with me, we’ll have to get your immigration forms and see what the laws on it are for the Tevinter Circles,” Belinda says. “You ‘vints always make everything so complicated for us,” she teases.

“Felix, why don’t you go with Carver and help him with all the paperwork,” Dorian says, and loops an arm through Cullen’s.

“Try to stay out of trouble,” Felix says. “I’d hate to be deported after all this trouble.”

“I’ll make no promises,” Dorian says with a smirk and follows the Templar away.

“What was all that?” Carver says as Felix guides him to reception, where an older Templar running the main desk glares at them.

“A stroke of luck,” Felix says, letting out a relieved sigh for Carver’s sake. “Ser Belinda is one of the few Templars in the city that Dorian and I have somehow managed to charm. She’s a sweet girl, and actually wants to _help_ mythics.” Felix gives a tight lipped smile to the Templar behind the desk as he accepts a clipboard and pen from them. They sit down together and Carver starts filling out his forms.

“Will she be doing my interrogation?” Carver asks.

“No, that will be one of the officers. I don’t know who will be doing your interview,” Felix says. “You’ll be fine. I won’t be able to go in with you, but you can handle this.”

——

Carver wishes Belinda was doing his interview. Instead he’s stuck with some pissed off looking guy with a case of halitosis who looks at him like he’d just shat on the floor.

“And are you aware that changing a mundane into a vampire without the permission of the Circle is illegal?” The Templar, Ser Varnell, asks. He grins like a cat that’s cornered it’s prey. “Messere Pavus could face severe charges for doing so. Are you sure you were entirely consenting?”

“Yes,” Carver says. Technically another lie. He was unconscious at the time, dying from blood loss after getting hit by a car. He doesn’t even remember it.

“But you were unconscious at the time,” Ser Varnell points out, and Carver curses internally.

“We had actually spoken about it before then,” he comes up with on the fly. “At the club I worked at, where we met. They didn’t specifically ask me, but we had talked about if I would want to be a vampire in passing. I told them that I would.” Varnell writes something down and Carver is happy he doesn’t have a pulse, because he’s fairly sure it would be racing, but he keeps himself calm and still. “It was an emergency. They saved me and I wouldn’t change any of it.”

“And your relationship with your sire and his partner, started after the accident then?” Varnell asks, even though they already went over this all already. It’s been over half an hour now, and Varnell is repeating questions, many of which are the ones Carver lied about. He’s trying to get him to trip up again.

By the time Carver gets out of the interview it’s been almost an hour and he feels exhausted in a way that he hasn’t since he died. Felix is still at reception, playing a colorful game on his phone and pointedly ignoring the dirty looks he’s getting from the Templars working there.

“Hey,” Carver says when he gets to him.

“Hello, _amatus_ ,” Felix says, pushing himself away from the wall he’s leaning on and looping his arm through Carver’s again. When they are at a relatively safe distance from the Templars he asks in a voice too low from most mundanes to hear. “How did it go?”

“I think I fucked up,” Carver answers in kind, unable to stop a waiver of fear in his voice, and Felix gives his arm a reassuring squeeze.

“How so?”

“It wasn’t awful, but when he asked about my consent to the change,” Carver bit his lip and Felix swore under his breath. “If Dorian gets in trouble-”

“Dorian can handle it,” Felix says. “Was that the only thing?”

“I think so. Fee I’m so sorry.” Felix stops Carver with a hand to his shoulder, turning him so they are facing each other.

“It’s gonna be fine Carver. Dorian and I have everything under control,” he tugs Carver down with a hand at the nape of his neck so he can kiss his forehead. “You didn’t do anything wrong. You have nothing to worry about. Ok?”

“…Ok,” Carver doesn’t believe him. He trusts Felix, but this all seems like Varnell is targeting them, and he can’t stand feeling too powerless to do anything about it. “If you say so.”

——

“Hey boss, I brought you your second favorite ‘Vint nuisance,” Belinda greets cheerily as she steps into the Templar Captain’s office, followed by Dorian and Cullen.

“Second favorite?” Dorian says, feigning offense. “You wound me.”

“Felix brings coffee,” the Captain says in a thick Starkhaven accent, not looking up from his paperwork just yet. “What’d you get yourself into this time?”

“I’m hurt that you’d assume I’m here because something’s wrong. Maybe I just wanted to visit the prettiest Templar in Denerim and her cranky boss,” Dorian winks at Belinda, who giggles.

“I’ll believe that when—Cullen?” The Captain says when he finally lifts his head to glare at Dorian, eyes going wide with surprise when he sees Cullen standing there. “I’ll be damned! Cullen Rutherford!”

“Rylen?” Cullen says, mirroring the man’s surprise, then grinning broadly at his familiar, tattooed face. “I thought you retired after the accident,” Cullen said, stepping forward as Rylen stands and clapping their hands together in a firm handshake.

“Hah, this place would fall apart without me here to keep everyone in line,” Rylen says. “Came here after the fire in Starkhaven’s office. Can’t work in the field anymore,” he says limping around his desk and pulling his slacks up just enough to show a sliver of his prosthetic leg. “But I can’t imagine not doing something for the order, even if it is mostly pencil pushing.”

“You two already know each other?” Dorian asks.

“We worked together for a while after the bombing in Kirkwall. Lived together briefly as well,” Cullen answers. “Rylen here ran the relief effort from Starkhaven that helped pull the city back together in the chaos.”

“You ran the relief effort, Cullen. I just helped, don’t sell yourself short,” Rylen says clapping him on the shoulder. He sizes Cullen and Dorian up in the next moment, raising a brow before talking again. “What brings you here with this troublemaker?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, I’m a saint,” Dorian says and Rylen snorts, lips pursing in a reluctant smirk.

“I’m, uh. I’m applying to be his official feeder,” Cullen says, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. Rylen’s brows raise slowly in surprise.

“ _You’re_ applying to be a feeder? For a vampire. A mage vampire. From Tevinter,” Rylen says, leaning his weight on his desk. “Really?”

“Yes,” Cullen can feel how red his face is.

“Belinda, why don’t you and Dorian go get us all some coffee. Grab a pint of blood for Dorian while you’re at it. It could take a while to go through all the paperwork for all this. Lucky for you I don’t have any meetings this evening,” Rylen says and Belinda nods and motions for Dorian to exit ahead of her. Before he steps out the door he glances back at Cullen, cocking his head slightly and raising his eyebrows in a way that Cullen has learned is his way of silently asking if everything is ok. Cullen nods and then Dorian and Belinda are gone, leaving Cullen and Rylen alone.

“What is all this, Rutherford?” Rylen asks. “Last time I saw you, you were swearing off the Templars and anything to do with them, now you’re here on the arm of one of the most powerful mythics this side of Thedas, selling yourself off as his personal juicebox?”

“It’s not like that,” Cullen says. “Things are different now and I’m different now.”

“Are you two,” Rylen makes vague hand gestures.

“Together? Yeah.”

“And Felix?”

“Him too. Remember Carver? He’s, uh, involved too,” Cullen says, and Rylen chuckles.

“You’ve really got your hands full,” he says, shaking his head, looking exasperated. “Among other things, I presume.”

“Rylen!” Cullen hides his face behind his hands, but can’t help laughing. “That’s so—you just.”

“All joking aside, you do understand what you’re getting yourself into, don’t you?” Rylen asks when they’re both done laughing. “I’m not gonna try and understand how you got yourself mixed up with Dorian and the others. He’s a good enough man, and most of the trouble he gets himself into is superficial. He’s dangerous, but not a danger. But if you do this you’d be putting yourself right back in the middle of Templar bureaucracy.”

“I know,” Cullen sighs. “It’s worth it, at least I think it is.”

“If it’s what you want I won’t do anything to stop it,” Rylen says, stepping over so he can put his hand on Cullen’s shoulder. “I’ll see if I can pull any strings to get this to go faster, but I need to know this is really what you want to do. That it’s the best course of action for you right now.”

“It is,” Cullen says. It’s scary, and honestly, he’s not entirely sure how well it will work out. It’s only been a few months, and it’s a big commitment, but he wants to try. Rylen nods, and they start the paperwork.

——

When Dorian and Cullen weren’t in the waiting room when Carver comes out of his interview he can’t help but feel worry wash over him. Maybe he’d fucked up worse than he thought and Dorian was already being arrested. Or something went wrong with Cullen’s application, maybe they knew somehow that they had already fed from him illegally and they were in questioning. Before he could work himself up any further the Templar from earlier, Belinda, rounded a corner carrying a box of paper under one arm.

“There you two are!” She says smiling. “You sure were in there a long time. Cullen and Dorian are in the Captain Rylen’s office, said I should send you to them if I saw you. Do you need me to take you there?”

“I remember the way, but it would probably be best for you to take us. Don’t want to make anyone suspicious about the two unescorted mythics wandering the offices,” Felix says.

“Righto,” Belinda says. “Just follow me.”

“Why are they in the Captain’s office?” Carver asks Felix as they fall a few steps behind Belinda. “Is everything alright?”

“Everything is fine, Carver,” Felix reassures. “We have a good relationship with the captain, he probably just wanted to keep an eye on what trouble we’ve been getting up to lately.”

Carver doesn’t find that as relaxing as he’s sure Felix means it to be, but he needs to trust them. When they get to the captain’s office Belinda tells them to just go in, and she’d be back later to let them know about the registry. What Carver isn’t expecting when he walks in is for the captain to be doubled over laughing, Dorian laughing and wiping tears from his eyes, and Cullen slouched down in his chair, cheeks an impossible shade of red.

“I’m telling you,” the captain says in a familiar Starkhaven accent. “I’m talking N’Sync era Justin Timberlake curls. It’s like he saw a cup of instant noodles one day and was like ‘yeah, that’s a good look’.”

“Rylen?” Carver asks, trying to get a better look at his face.

“Well if it isn’t my favorite little Hawke,” Rylen says, practically wheezing with laughter. “I’ll be damned, you really are a bloodsucker now, aren’t you? Though I guess that’s not the only thing you’ve been sucking lately,” he says, winking at Cullen and making himself laugh again.

“Maker preserve me,” Cullen mutters, slinking further down in his chair. It makes the hair on Carver’s arms stand up.

“Uh, yeah, hey Rylen,” Carver says, a little dumbstruck. “What are you doing here?”

“I work here. Why is everyone so surprised by that?” Rylen answers. 

“I just thought you’d still be in Starkhaven,” Carver says.

“Such a small world,” Dorian says. For a while they all catch up while they wait for Belinda to show up with the results of Carver’s interview. When she does, she hands Rylen a stack of papers and turns to Carver.

“Alright, so the your information is being added to the registry. There were only a few hiccups in the report, so you and Dorian are gonna have to come in for follow-up interviews,” she says, handing Carver a small stack of papers. “You’re all good,” she says to Carver, then turns to Dorian. “You on the other hand, have two strikes. One minor and one major. I’m sure we can take care of them in your next interview, but until then you can’t leave the city.”

“Of course, dear,” Dorian says taking his own stack of papers.

“I’ll look over Varnell’s report and see if I can do anything for you. The major strike is on consent to change, but from what I’m seeing Carver isn’t gonna be pressing charges any time soon. As far as the strike for changing a mundane without Circle oversight you’re on your own,” Rylen says.

“Thank you,” Dorian says to Rylen, and Cullen stands and walks over to shake his hand.

“It’s great to see you again, and thank you for everything,” Cullen says. “We’ll need to get together some time for beers.”

“I’ll hold you to that, Rutherford. And try to keep these two out of trouble,” Rylen says, motioning to Dorian and Felix. “They’re prematurely turning my hair grey.”

“I’ll do my best,” Cullen says with a smirk.


	7. You are my Sunshine

Eight hundred ninety one years, seven months, and seventeen days. That’s how long it’s been since the last time Felix felt the sun, warm his skin. He can’t remember what that warmth really felt like. He knows nothing compares to it. The warmth of a living body in his bed, the warmth of a hot beverage, the burn of a candle’s fire. None of it was the same.

He doesn’t regret it. He was given a choice. That’s more than could be said for many vampires. His life after death has been fulfilling. He’s had Dorian by his side every step of the way. Dorian, who had his last taste of sunlight only four days prior to his own. Dorian, who gave up his own mortality for him, to save him from the blight when it was still a death sentence.

There were times when Felix would look at Dorian, and it was almost like having the sun back. Times when the comfort of his chilled embrace was the closest thing to that long lost warmth he had. People love to tell them about all the things they’ve accomplished. About how amazing it must be to be eternally young and beautiful and strong. Those people don’t know the pain of watching your loved ones age and degrade and die while you are ever unchanging. They don’t know what it’s like to forget the sound of a voice you haven’t heard in over century, or forget a thousand faces of a thousand friends. They don’t know how cold it is.

Dorian wasn’t the only person he could find the sun in. He’s fallen in and out of love over the years, as has Dorian. They’ve both been married, though never to each other. They’ve made new friends with every passing century, traveled new places. Now they’ve fallen in love again. They have each other, and they have Carver, and, for as long as he lives, they have Cullen. Cullen who is warm and golden and the closest thing to sunlight Felix and Dorian get to have.

Carver doesn’t understand it. Not yet. Felix resents the day he will. He hates that one day Carver will forget what real warmth is. But for now Carver watches in confusion when after too many stress filled nights weigh on Dorian and Felix’s shoulders, and they risk too much for a sliver of sunlight. Cracking the blackout curtains just enough so that a golden ray can spill into a dark room, just so they can look at it. So they can stare for hours and try to remember distant Tevinter beaches. Days they used to spend lazing in the sun, letting it warm the bare skin of their arms and chests until they were dragged away to court, or to work.

Dorian is the first to ask. He does it one night after what seemed like hours of love making. Cullen is lying between them, content in the tangle of their limbs as they press as close to him as they can. When Dorian asks it’s nearly too quiet to hear. Cullen lets out a questioning hum, attempting not to fall asleep. Dorian shifts, sliding up Cullen’s body, pressing his lips behind his ears.

“Tell us what the sun feels like,“ he repeats, voice still hushed, barely louder than a breath. “Please?”

Cullen looks at Dorian for a moment, then turns to look at Felix. They are both watching him with expectant eyes, eager for anything he has to say about it. For a moment everything is still, only the faint sounds of Cullen’s breathing and pulse to break the silence.

“Please?” Felix asks, placing a small kiss on Cullen’s shoulder.

“I… I really don’t know what to say,” Cullen says, clearing his throat. “I don’t really think about it much.”

“Try?” Felix asks, running his hand up Cullen’s side, over his chest and up to his face, to turn his head so he looks him in the eye. He doesn’t to push too much, but he needs this. “Please try for us.”

“It’s,” Cullen tries to start, but cuts himself off with a frustrated huff. “I’m no poet, I can’t do it justice. It’s that kinda warm that soaks into you, like a nice bubble bath. It’s like it soaks straight into your bones and you carry it with you. It’s,” he stops to sigh, trying to pick his words carefully. “Energizing. Exciting. And it has this smell, I don’t know how to explain it. It’s warm and soothing and gets in your skin and hair and stays there for hours.”

“It smells like life,” Dorian says, tucking his face into Cullen’s hair and inhaling.

“Yeah,” Cullen said after a moment of silence, voice rough with sadness. “Yeah, it does.”

Dorian untangles his limbs from them and gets out of bed. Cullen sits up and watches him as he pours himself 3 fingers of brandy. Felix can’t see Cullen’s face, but he knows him well enough to know he’s worried he’s done something wrong. Felix gently tugs him down, littering his neck and jawline with kisses as Dorian pulls on a pair of Carver’s sweatpants that have been left on the floor.

“I’m going to go check on Carver in the garage,” Dorian says, not turning to look at them. When he’s out of the room Cullen turns his full attention to Felix.

“I’ve upset him,” he says with a grimace. “Haven’t I?”

“No, _mea lūx sōlis_ ,” Felix says, placing a gentle kiss on his lips. “He’s upset, but not at you. It’s been nearly nine hundred years, _amatus_. It’s hard to think of all the things we’ve given up all those lifetimes ago. It’s difficult to remember how inhuman we are. It can be… overwhelming.”

“I’m sorry,” Cullen says.

“No, _meus sōl_ , you’ve given us a gift today. You gave us a taste of sunshine.”


	8. Eggpocalypse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cullen has a cold and his boyfriends take care of him.

“This is so excessive, Dorian,” Carver groans, rubbing his hands down his face as Dorian compares seemingly every single carrot in the produce section before adding some to their overflowing basket.

“I am not feeding my beloved _leō aureus_ something from a can,” Dorian sneers, starting to wander around, obviously not sure where things are kept in a store. “Would eggs be with dairy?”

“Usually,” Carver says, his face twisting in confusion. “If we’re making soup why do we need eggs?” He asks. This whole trip feels ridiculous. He should have come alone and grabbed a can Campbell’s soup and some Nyquil for Cullen. Quick and easy. But no, Dorian and Felix insisted in coming along, and now Dorian insists they make everything from scratch and Felix vanished into the pharmacy.

“Idris always made his chicken soup with eggs in it. It was a family recipe. Best chicken soup I’ve ever had. I should have learned how to make it, but I’m sure we can wing it,” Dorian says. They still ate recreationally sometimes, but it isn’t particularly healthy for vampires to eat solid food, and eating too much could be dangerous. Dorian generally avoids doing so, and Carver’s pretty sure he has no idea how to make anything, not even soup. 

‘Solid foods can absorb the fluids we need to survive, and our stomachs aren’t built for digesting solids anymore, so overeating tends to lead to vomiting.’ Carver remembers pretty vividly doing just that during the months he wasn’t aware he was a vampire, so he didn’t put up too much of a fight to keep eating real food. Though he still always gets pizza with Garrett and Cullen whenever they get together to catch a game on tv, as long as they don’t get anything with garlic.

Medicine isn’t much better in that regard. Vampires can’t contract diseases or viruses, so Dorian and Felix aren’t really up to date on modern medicine. It comes as no surprise at all when Felix shows up with a basket full of pretty much every brand and style of cold medicine the store sells.

“There you are,” Felix says, adjusting the basket in the crook of his elbow, peeking into Dorian’s. “Eggs?”

“For the soup,” Dorian says, and Felix just nods his head and lets out a soft ‘ah’, as if eggs in chicken noodle soup is completely normal.

“You’re cooking the poor chickens unborn babies with her,” Carver says. “That’s a bit fucked, don’t you think.”

“Don’t be dramatic,” Dorian says. “They aren’t even fertilized.”

“Do you have enough ingredients?” Felix asks, shoving his basket at Carver so his hands are free to pick through Dorian’s. “What else can go into soup?”

“He has enough there to feed a family of eight. We have plenty,” Carver huffs.

“Maybe we should get ginger,” Felix says. “It’s supposed to help with stomach bugs, no?”

“Good idea, and maybe some elfroot while we’re at it.”

“It’s just a cold guys. Just nice, normal chicken soup is fine,” Carver says. They’ve already wasted over an hour here for soup. He just wants to go home and make sure Cullen is ok. “Let’s just grab some tea and go home already.”

“Yes, of course,” Dorian says. “Cullen is probably wondering where we are.”

Cullen wasn’t wondering where they were at all, if the distracted grunt they receive in greeting when they get home is anything to judge by. The only part of him visible in his blanket cocoon is his face. He has a trashcan full of used tissues next to him, a box of clean ones on his lap, and a bucket in case he vomits again. Luckily it’s empty, which Carver takes as a good sign.

“Hello to you too,” Carver says, coming over to place a hand on Cullen’s forehead to get a gauge of his tempature. Cullen whimpers and leans against Carver’s cool fingers.

“That feels so good,” he says, voice sounding rough. “Cuddle and watch Undercover Boss with me?” He asks, giving Carver his most pathetic puppy dog eyes.

“In a bit,” Carver gives the top his his head a kiss, or at least where he thinks the top of his head is under all his blankets. “I have to make sure Dorian and Felix don’t set anything on fire while making your soup. I’ll bring you some nice warm tea, and some medicine first though.”

Cullen whines something unintelligible in response, and Carver calls him a big baby under his breath. All this for a little stomach bug. When Carver gets to the kitchen Dorian is already chopping their vegetables, and Felix is on his phone, presumably trying to figure out what to do with the chicken stock he holds in his other hand.

“I guess we just heat this?” Felix says, looking much too confused for someone who does calculus for fun. “Or wait, we sautee the onions first.”

“Here, just let me get you started,” Carver offers. It’s not like he knows much about cooking either, but somehow he doesn’t trust Felix near the stove. He puts their biggest pot on the stove and adds butter and the vegetables Dorian chopped into it. Carrots, celery, onions and ginger. “Just cook these until they’re soft,” he tells Dorian, who is currently scrambling what he’s positive is way too many eggs.

“Yes ser, my sexy little chef,” Dorian winks and Carver rolls his eyes. Dorian pauses for a moment and then asks. “How do I know if they’re soft?”

“Poke them with the ladle or something, I don’t know,” Carver says.

“Don’t worry, I’ll handle it,” Felix says, handing Carver the tea for Cullen.

“That’s not as comforting as you seem to think it is,” Carver says, dodging Felix’s hand when he swats at him. He digs through the bag with all the medicine in it until he picks out some dayquil capsules. Just before he heads back to the living room he swings back into the kitchen and grabs some of the leftover ginger to drop into the tea.

When he gets back to the living room Cullen is muttering under his breath about how shitty some ice cream entrepreneurs disguise is and how he looks like a forty year old Shaggy from Scooby Doo between fits of coughing.

“Here’s your tea. Feeling any better?”

“Yeah, thanks,” Cullen says, taking the tea. “Didn’t throw up again at all today. Mostly just coughing a lot. Head is killing me though.”

“Here, take two of these,” Carver says, popping the pills out of their packet for Cullen. “Soup shouldn’t be too much longer, then we’ll all give you the attention you’ve been whining for all day.”

“You’re not allowed to get sassy with me. I’m sick,” Cullen says.

“Yeah, yeah. You keep telling yourself that.”

When Carver get to the kitchen he hears the tell tale hissing of the broth boiling over. Before he can do anything about it Dorian bolts over to the pot, blowing on the bubbles so they go down, and lowering the heat.

“I told you it shouldn’t have been all the way on high,” Dorian snaps at Felix.

“Don’t get huffy. It’s fine isn’t it.” Felix snaps right back.

“Everything alright in here? No fires yet?” Carver says, cautiously.

“There aren’t gonna be any fires.” Dorian and Felix say in eerie tandem.

“Relax, I was just teasing,” Carver tries to sooth, but just gets dirty looks from them both. “Too many cooks in the kitchen?” Felix just grunts, and earns his own glare from Dorian.

“Just help me with the eggs,” Dorian says checking his phone. “It says here I’m supposed to hold a fork over the pot, pour the eggs through the fork, and whisk all at once. I don’t know who they think is making this soup but I don’t have enough hands for all that.”

“What do you need me to do?”

“Just hold the fork for now.”

After what will from this day forth will be known as the ‘eggpocalypse’ and about fifteen minutes of cleanup the soup is finally done. Carver quick goes to change his shirt before going back to the living room. When he finally gets to the living room Cullen is sprawled out across the couch, one leg sticking out from his blanket nest, breath steady and only wheezing slightly. Dorian and Felix are both sitting on the floor, eating soup directly from the pot, passing a spoon back and forth, eyes glued to the tv where the founder of a spa franchise gives someone the most unsatisfying massage, to the dismay of her customer and the masseuse teaching her.

Carver lets himself flop down on the reclining chair closest to the couch and grabs Cullen’s unfinished tea from the coffee table to sip on.

“It’s like she’s never even heard of a massage before. What is she _doing_?” He says.

“I know, right?” Felix says, reaching for the spoon. “The eggs really bring it all together,” he comments to Dorian, who hums in response.

“The noodles are a bit overcooked though.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cullen and his boyfriends run into one of his rude exes while out on a date.

It wasn’t often that Cullen, Dorian, Felix, and Carver could all make it to date night. Normally when all of them were home they’d stay in, or pair off, or just do their own thing. Cullen doesn’t count vacations as dates either, no matter how much Dorian likes to argue that they are. So it’s been almost four months since it was Cullen’s turn to pick where they went. He doesn’t mind too much, Dorian and Felix always have interesting new places to take them, and Carver shares a lot of his interests, other than the fact that Carver prefers clubs to pubs. Which is why, when Cullen finally gets a chance to chose their destination, he takes them all to an old favorite of his, Bella’s Tavern.

It’s not very fancy in any way, but it has a nice, comfortable atmosphere, good drinks, and a clean bathroom. What more could you want from a bar? It’s pretty gay friendly as well, though maybe not the most popular place for mythics, seeing as a lot of Templars tend to frequent it. That’s how Cullen found it in the first place, back before he retired. It’s not exclusive though, and his boyfriends aren’t doing anything illegal, so he doesn’t worry too much about it. Hell, Carver used to come here with him pretty often before anyway.

He was a bit nervous that Dorian and Felix wouldn’t like it. Like Carver they generally prefer clubs. Especially ones that cater to vampires and other mythics, but everyone seems to be having a great time, and Cullen can’t make himself stop smiling. They get a few weird looks for all their casual touching, the way Felix leans away from Carver, who has an arm around his waist to kiss Dorian on the cheek before getting up to get them all fresh drinks, and of course for Carver, Dorian and Felix’s obvious vampirism, but no one says anything to them. It’s simple, but Cullen’s just about ready to chalk it up as one of his favorite dates. That is until Carver nearly does a spit take, and chokes on his drink.

“Are you alright, love?” Dorian says while Cullen pats Carver’s back. By the time Carver composes himself he’s making a face as though not only did he step in dog shit, but the dog came back to piss on his boots as well. Before he can open his mouth to warn Cullen, he hears an all too familiar voice.

“Cullen?” It asks in a stern and cold way he would recognize anywhere.

“Meredith!” Cullen exclaims, whipping his head around to look at her so fast he throws himself a little off balance and has to grab Carvers shoulder to keep himself from falling. She looks just as severe and intimidating as he remembers. Before he can even process what’s happening Carver has an arm around his shoulders, hand reaching up to play with a loose curl of Cullen’s hair.

“Hey, Mery. Long time no see,” Carver says, plastering an obviously fake grin across his face.

“Right,” Meredith says, dismissively, turning to talk to Cullen instead. “You look… well.”

“Thanks, I uh-” Cullen starts, floundering for words. He really does not want to have this conversation. He was in the middle of a nice date with his current partners, the last thing he needs is a run in with his ex. Especially if that ex is Meredith Stannard, possibly the worst relationship he’s ever had. It, doesn’t matter what he was going to say though, it never does with her, because she’s quick to cut him off.

“What have you been doing since you left the force?” She asks, at least making some attempt to sound casual. She’s not doing a great job, obviously ready to start some sort of argument.

“Well, I went back to school,” Cullen starts again, and he can see her opening her mouth to cut him off again, but Carver interrupts her before she gets the chance.

“He majored in psychology. He’s published papers on Mythic and Mundane relationships and on the effects of PTSD that many Templars suffer from, and is currently working on a book,” Carver brags for him, even though it’s unlikely Meredith cares about that sort of thing. He moves closer to Cullen so that they’re pressed together at their sides, and slides his hand down Cullen’s back, lightly grazing his ass before landing possessively on his hip. Meredith’s eyebrows raise in surprise, and she glares at Carver. She opens her mouth to talk again, and makes a frustrated noise when this time Dorian cuts her off.

“Cullen, darling. Are you going to introduce me to your friend?” Dorian is sitting on the other side of Carver, and at least has the subtly to not get up to drape himself over Cullen as well, but he does make a show of reaching pasts Carvers shoulders to run the back of his knuckles down the line of Cullen’s neck, all while having the nerve to innocently cock his head with confused puppy eyes. Cullen can feel a blush rising up his neck under Meredith’s scrutiny.

“Uh, this is Meredith. She was my commander when I was a Templar,” Cullen hopes that’s enough, and they won’t have to go through all the awkwardness, but Carver is there, so of course it’s not.

“Don’t be shy babe, Dorian’s not the jealous type,” Carver said, giving Cullen’s ass a light slap. “Mery’s Cullen’s ex. They dated when he was still with the force. Not entirely protocol, but, ya know,” Carver just shrugged. “He must have somehow seen something in her worth dating.”

“Nice to meet you,” Dorian says, reaching his hand out to shake Meredith’s, giving one of his best smiles. “I’m Dorian, one of Cullen’s partners.”

“Partners?” Meredith sneers at the three of them, then shakes her head slightly and turns to Cullen. “So you’re gay now? I shouldn’t be surprised.” Dorian’s smile pulls tight, and Cullen can tell Carver is grinding his teeth, glaring holes through Meredith.

“Bi, Mery. I’m bi,” Cullen says. “I’ve always been bi. I told you I was bi when we were dating.”

“Right,” She says, and she looks like she’s gonna say something else about it, but thank the Maker she drops it. Instead she turns to Carver, which honestly might be worse. “And you’re a vampire now? Somehow I’m not surprised. Your family always did have a knack for… delinquency.”

Cullen feels Carver tense and shift next to him. Cullen wraps an arm around Carver’s waist and places a hand over the one Carver has on his hip. Carver has a temper, but he’s not stupid. He wouldn’t start a bar fight with an active Templar in a Templar bar. If he did though, there’s no way Cullen could hold him back. Maybe when they were both human, but not like this. Luckily they’re interrupted by Felix returning with everyone’s drinks before it can escalate.

“Is everything alright here?” Felix says, eyeing the situation. Dorian gets up to help him distribute the drinks around the table.

“Felix, darling,” Dorian says with a sharp toothed grin and a mischievous glint to his eyes. “This is Marybeth, and old _friend_ of Cullen’s. From back in his Templar days.”

“It’s Meredith,” Meredith practically growls.

“Pleasure,” Felix says with charming grin as he shakes her hand, showing off the sharpness of his fangs.

“I’m sure,” she says.

“If I had known one of Cullen’s friends was here I would have gotten you a drink,” Felix says, settling at Cullen’s side, opposite of Carver, tucking a hand into Cullen’s back pocket and giving his ass a squeeze while leaning his head on his shoulder. “Could I offer you anything? A martini? Rum and coke? A pint?”

“A bloody mary?” Carver offers with a smirk, and Meredith crosses her arms across her chest and scowls. “What? It’s a joke. Nice to see you still have a rod safely stored up your ass.”

“Charming as ever Hawke. I have to get going anyway to meet with my friends,” Meredith says, looking about ready to punch someone.

“You have friends?” Carver says under his breath, and Dorian snorts.

“It was… nice seeing you again, Cullen,” she says, and Cullen can’t help but remember his mom telling him that if he makes a face for too long it will stick like that. Maybe that’s why Meredith never stops sneering. Or maybe she’s still just a raging bitch. Could be anything, really.

“Well,” Dorian says once she’s out of sight. “That was definitely… something.”

“I hate her so much,” Carver says. “Like, really _really_ hate her. How could you stand dating her?” He asks Cullen, and Cullen shrugs, not able to remember what he ever saw in her, let alone why he ever tried to make things work out. “The day she left was the best day of my life,” Carver says, practically chugging his draft.

“You’re being dramatic, I’m sure,” Felix says.

“No, he’s not,” Cullen answers. “He literally went out and bought a bottle of champagne and a party horn to celebrate when we broke up.” He was sort of mad when it happened, but looking back Cullen can’t help but smile at the image of Carver and Garrett spraying champagne all over the living room singing ‘ding dong the witch is dead’. He’s much happier now than he ever was with her.


	10. Dawn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I totally forgot to finish posting the prompts I filled, so I'll do that the next couple of days! Sorry if anyone was waiting for more!

“It’s one of the best selling books of the past decade and millions of dollars went into the production,” Cullen says from the passenger seat of Dorian’s Audi, still trying to convince Dorian that _Dawn_ , the newest big vampire romance movie, would be worth a watch.

“Best selling to teenage girls and their soccer moms,” Dorian sneers. “It’s just another romanticisation of vampirism written by someone who knows nothing about what being a vampire is like.”

“How are you two still arguing about this? It’s been days, and we’re already on our way to the theater” Carver groans from the back seat.

“I don’t think Dorian knows how to stop arguing,” Felix says from next to him. “Though, Cullen’s not really much better, to be fair.”

“You can’t tell me you honestly want to see this,” Dorian glances at Felix in the rearview mirror.

“Not particularly,” Felix says, hesitantly. “But it’s been awhile since we’ve gone to a movie, and it is Cullen’s turn to pick where we go.” Dorian rolls his eyes with an irritated little huff as he tries to find them a parking space in the packed lot.

Cullen hates to admit it, but he’s pretty excited to see this movie, despite all of Dorian’s complaints and the horde of squealing teenage girls he has to push through to get to the concessions counter. Carver had argued with him too, though not as vehemently as Dorian, practically begging to go see the newest action flick that came out last week instead of some cheesy vampire romance. The thing is, Cullen loves cheesy romance films, and seeing as he’s currently involved with vampires right now he’s sure he can find something to relate to.

Things go well enough once they are settled in the back row, Cullen balancing a medium popcorn on his lap and a large slushie in the cup holder between him and Carver to share. They chatter about which movies shown in the previews could be fun to see when they come out. Then the movie starts, a sweeping shot of a small town with the main character’s voice monologuing about what it is to love a vampire, immediately met by a groan from Dorian. 

“At least wait until they introduce the vampires before you start complaining,” Cullen whispers harshly to Dorian.

“Fine, but after that it’s open season,” Dorian replies, and pulls out his phone briefly. At least they’re in the back row so it won’t distract anyone. “But, I’m going to say now, that Dawn is an incredibly corny name for the protagonist.”

“You literally call me _sunshine_ almost every day,” Cullen says, a bit too loudly, earning him a dirty look from the person sitting in front of them. ‘Sorry,’ he mouths and elbows a snickering Carver.

The story is far from enthralling so far, but it’s not the worst Cullen’s seen. The actress isn’t bad, but the writing is bland. At least when they introduce the vampire character he’s hot. Cullen can’t think of the actor’s name, but he feels like he’s seen him in other things before. Dark black hair and paper white skin, collar popped and looking excessively indifferent. His eyes meet the protagonist’s from across the room and dramatic piano music fills the scene.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Dorian mutters under his breath, Cullen just rolls his eyes and leans over onto Carver’s shoulder.

“They couldn’t have made him look more cliché if they tried,” Felix says from the other side of Carver.

“I think he kinda looks like Carver, actually,” Cullen says and Carver shrugs him off his shoulder.

“I do not look _that_ douchey,” he says.

“And it’s daytime!” Dorian whispers a bit too loudly, getting shushed from somewhere nearby. “Why is he even out at all?” He continues, quieter.

“It’s cloudy,” Cullen argues weakly.

“As if that means anything. The sun can shine through clouds, you know. Or the clouds could part! He’d be a pile of ash in minutes.” The woman in front of them turns around again and shushes them. Dorian curls his lip at her and she turns back around in her seat with a little harrumph, crossing her arms over her chest.

“All I’m saying is that they could have at least consulted a real vampire if they weren’t willing to cast a vampire to play the role,” Dorian whispers, leaning closer to Cullen.

“Can’t we just watch the movie?” he replies and Dorian purses his lips, leaning back into his seat. He’s quiet again for a while, until a scene where the vampire, Dante, and Dawn are talking about changing her, her begging for him to change her so they can be together for eternity, and him waxing poetic about how tragic immortality is and how he could never burden her with such a terrible curse.

“Ugh, this is ridiculous. I’m stepping out, do you need anything? A snack or drink?” Dorian asks, already standing up.

“Everything ok?” Cullen asks, taking his hand for a moment.

“Fine. I just don’t care to sit through this haughty garbage any longer than I need to.” Dorian looks upset, but Cullen just nods and gives him his space.

“I don’t need anything, but I wouldn’t complain if you brought back some raisinets,” he says, Dorian nods but doesn’t say anything else. Felix and Carver are completely checked out of the movie, and have been kissing with with Carver’s hand inching its way up Felix’s thigh, but they break apart for a moment as Dorian walks by them, bumping their knees in the tight aisle.

“Is everything ok?” Felix leans over Carver to ask Cullen.

“I’m sure he’s fine,” Cullen says. “Just doesn’t like the movie.” This time multiple people in the group in front of them turn to shush them. Carver makes a face and shushes them right back before settling back and wrapping an arm around Felix’s shoulders.

Cullen honestly barely realizes Dorian is gone until he comes back later, Milkduds in hand. The movie honestly got pretty interesting after he left. A real antagonist finally shows up, an unregistered vampire that’s been hunting pretty girls, and of course he targets Dawn while she and Dante are separated because of their fight over changing her.

“They were out of Raisinets, I hope this suffices,” Dorian says when he sits back down, and Cullen leans against his shoulder. “Where are Carver and Felix?”

“I think they went to the bathroom,” Cullen says, cheeks turning slightly pink, but his eyes stay glued to the screen.

“Really? They couldn’t wait til we got home?” Dorian says with a quiet huff of laughter. “How am I not surprised.” He looks offended when Cullen hushes him.

By the time Carver and Felix come sauntering back to their seats, rumpled and looking satisfied Dorian’s head is practically spinning at all of the movie’s inaccuracies. Cullen is enraptured by an intense chase scene where the antagonist is chasing Dawn through a house of mirrors while Dante is trying to find them by following a trail of blood she left, leading to the abandoned park she was dragged to.

“No reflections? Really?” Dorian says. “They didn’t even try.” He looks up as Carver and Felix take their seats, Carver ducking his head sheepishly and Felix not even trying to hide his grin. “Enjoying the movie?” Dorian smirks, reaching past Cullen to wipe a bit of cum Carver’s collar with his thumb, popping it in his mouth.

“You know, this reminds me of when we used to go snog at the drive-in during monster movies,” Felix says with a smile. “We really should go to the movies more often.”

“Shh, they’re getting to the climax,” Cullen says, trying to hush them and Dorian rolls his eyes.

“I think Felix and Carver beat them to it.”


	11. We almost lost you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For a couple of prompts I had for "I almost lost you" for the vampire au.

Cullen woke to the smell of blood and the sound of whispers. They were voices he recognized, but he couldn’t make sense of them. Everything blurred together too much. He felt like dead weight and could taste blood in his mouth. The last thing he remembers is… he’s not entirely sure. He was with Dorian and Felix, they were going… somewhere, somewhere dangerous and he insisted on going with. He was separated from them and then there was nothing. He turns his head and buries his face against whoever it is that’s holding him. They smell like oranges and cinnamon, so it’s probably either Dorian or Felix.

“-couldn’t do it again. I had to-” that was definitely Dorian’s voice, Cullen would recognize it anywhere. He breaths in the smell of him, citrus and spice and blood. 

“He might hate you for it…” That was Carver. When did Carver get here? Did he come along? He might have. Now that Cullen thinks of it they were going to a vampire den. A coven not entirely happy with Dorian.

“-an eternity to make it up to him-” comes Dorian’s voice again.

“-didn’t want this-” Felix’s voice came eventually. Cullen tries to follow the conversation but it’s too hard to focus. “-I don’t want to lose him either… It’s not the same as Carver.”

“It is. The only difference is Carver was little more than a stranger when we saved him,” Dorian’s voice is stern.

“We didn’t have a choice-” Felix starts but Dorian cuts him off.

“There is always a choice, Felix. We chose to save him. I chose to save Cullen.”

“And Cullen already made his choice,” Carver says.

“It was selfish. I know that, but I can’t lose another. It’s been a thousand years and I’ve lost too many,” Dorian’s voice breaks.

“You have us,” Carver says, closer than before.

“I couldn’t let go,” Dorian sobs and Cullen stirs just enough to lift his hand to Dorian’s face. All Cullen can taste is blood in his mouth, all he can smell is Dorian. Cullen opens his eyes to look up at Dorian, and everything is so bright and so dark all at once.

“ _Amatus_ ,” Dorian says, voice soft and soothing in a way that doesn’t match the sadness in his eyes. He places his hand on top of Cullen’s and cards the other through his golden curls. His fingers are tacky with blood. “We almost lost you.” 

Cullen’s mind races, and puts together bits and pieces of what he can remember and what he heard. He tries to sit up slowly, but his body moves faster, easier and more graceful than he knows himself capable of. He glances around and sees Felix standing off to the side, wringing his hands nervously. Carver is standing over where he and Dorian are on the ground, refusing to look at them. Cullen can see every thread of their clothing, could count every strand of their hair, even in the pitch black of the night. He places a hand on his throat and feels no heartbeat.

“Maker,” he says, and the word burns acidic on his tongue. He looks at Dorian, and can feel panic building in his gut. “What did you do?”


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt "So Cullen has to get used to his new body and the fact he can't swear to the Maker anymore. Felix and Dorian help him"

Cullen never thought much about how often he used the lord’s name in vain before. It was just something he said. Maker’s breath, Maker preserve me, Andraste’s ass. They were just things he said without really noticing most of the time. That had to change when Dorian and Felix came into his life, and when Carver changed.

It was one of the things that tipped him off to Carver’s change actually. He had seen how vampires reacted to holy verse and invocations of holy names back when he was a Templar. Some Templars used it as another way to harass them. Reactions ranging from flinches to hissing to full on convulsion in one case when a particularly cruel Templar recited verses from the Chant of Light at a captured unregistered vampire. So when Carver started fidgeting every time Garrett and himself would mutter blasphemy under their breath Cullen noticed.

When he and Carver moved in with Dorian and Felix he was more careful to watch his mouth. Carver was definitely the most sensitive to it. Any time Cullen slipped up Carver would physically flinch away from him. Dorian assured them that it would ease over time, but it could take a while. It was by accident that they found out how agonizing it could be when it happened why they were touching.

Cullen had gotten pretty good at keeping himself from saying it around them. He worshiped in a private room that Dorian put aside for him so that they wouldn’t stumble in on him reciting verse or across any Andrastian symbols. He more or less cut ‘Maker’ and ‘Andraste’ out of his casual vocabulary. Thing is, it’s really hard to think about what you’re saying when you’re getting fucked hard by two of your boyfriends.

“Yes, yes! Oh fuck, Carver,” he had moaned when Dorian pulled his cock out of his mouth long enough that he could speak. Dorian pinned his hands to the bed and leaned in to kiss him while Carver pounded into him.

“You like that?” Dorian muttered against his mouth. “You like that big cock in your ass?”

“Fuck. Yes,” Cullen groaned, arching his back, and he heard Carver chuckle above him. “Oh Maker yes!”

He barely registered what happened next. Dorian flinched away from him, hissing, and Carver screamed, throwing himself backwards off the bed.

“Fuck. What happened,” Cullen said. His heart was pounding and he tried not to panic at the way Carver scrambled away from him when he reached out to him.

“What the fuck, what the fuck!” Carver shouted, eyes looking wild. “Don’t touch me! What the fuck _was_ that.”

“It’s ok,” Dorian cooed, grabbing Carver’s face and forcing him to look him in the eyes. “You’re ok, just relax.”

“What’s happening? I feel like I’m on fire,” Carver sobbed.

“It’ll stop soon, I promise,” Dorian said. “You just need to relax.”

After that Cullen was a lot more careful about what he said in bed.

After Cullen changed it was agonizing. He didn’t want to see the others, not for a while. He was angry and, honestly, a bit frightened. He stayed with Garrett in the old apartment for a few months. When Dorian changed him, he swore to the Maker and it felt like acid in his throat. He avoided doing so again, but all he wanted to do was pray for himself. Pray for his soul, if he even had one anymore.

The next time he tried to use the Maker’s name was after he moved back into the mansion. He and Dorian were arguing. It was about something stupid, something they would never have argued about before, and he can’t even remember what it was, but tensions were high in the house and he was picking fights.

When he went to curse to the Maker his body stopped. It wasn’t pain, not exactly. The word caught in his throat like a bad swallow. Not quite enough to choke but enough to ache, and there was a strange twinge through his chest and head that left him feeling winded even though he didn’t need to breathe. He tried again and it made his esophagus ache and burn, traveling downward into his ribs. He gasped in pain as it settled through him and Dorian watched him with sadness in his eyes.

“I can’t…” Cullen trailed off, his voice raw, though he wasn’t sure if it was from emotion or the burn of the Maker’s name caught in his throat.

“I know,” Dorian said, and Felix walked over from where he had been standing nearby to place a comforting hand on his shoulder. Cullen leaned into him, tucking his face into the crook of his neck.

“I’m not sure I can do this,” Cullen said, voice muffled against Felix’s neck.

“Yes you can,” Felix reassured. “It’s hard, but you’ll get through this.”

Dorian came up behind him, arms slowly coming up to wrap gently around Cullen, giving him the chance to shake off the touch if he wanted. Cullen let his eyes fall closed as he relaxed into Dorian’s grip. He stood there for a few moments, letting himself enjoy the comfort of being held by his lovers.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on tumblr at [VelloMello](http://vellomello.tumblr.com/)


End file.
